Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



C. COX. l Magazine Fire-arm.

Patented April 27, 1858.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.,`

C. COX, OF OOIXVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N o. 20,041, dated April27, 1858.

To all 'whom it may concern.'

Beit known that I, CALVIN C ox, of Coxville, in the county of Pitt andState of North Carolina, have invented a new and useful Improvement inFire-Arms; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact descpription of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which-Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section of a fire-arm with myimprovement applied to it. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section ofthe same.

Similar letters of reference in each of the several figures indicatecorresponding parts.

The nature of my invention consists in the arrangement of a blade orcutter in-the rear part of the breech of the lire-arm, for use incombination with a bored sliding cartridgecarrier andcartridge-magazine, constructed and arranged in the man-ner hereinafterspecifled.

By thus employing a blade the cartridge, which is supplied from themagazine below the gun-bari el and sliding carrier, can besplit at itsrear end in being carried up in line with the bore of the barrel, andits powder exposed, so as to be readily ignited by the exploding of thecap.

Thus splitting the cartridge is much preferable to the cutting off ofits end, as no waste material is made, and clogging is consequentlyprevented, and the escape for the powder at the opened end, as when cutoff completely, almost wholly stopped.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invent-ion, Iwill proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A represents the barrel; B, the breech 5 C, the stock; D, the cock; E,the nipple, and F the trigger.

G is an ordinary self-supplying magazine, arranged under the barrel A.This magazine is supplied with common cartridges a a through its frontend, said cartridges being forced toward the breech by means of aspring, b,

which is attached to the cap o of the magazine.

H is the parallel sliding carrier. It is tted snugly within the space I,which is cut vertically through the breech, as shown. This carrier isbored so as to correspond to the bore of the magazineV and bore of thebarrel. It is pivoted at d to a link, c, of the hinged guard J, asshown. When this carrier is in the position shown in black lines in Fig.1, its bore consequently is receiving a cartridge from the magazine.When it is in the position shown in red, its bore is in line with thebore of the barrel, and the cartridge therefore is in a position forbeing tired.

K is the blade for splitting open the end of the cartridge. Itis set inthe back side of the wall f, forming the space I, at such a point thatits upper or cutting end stan ds above the upper partof the bore of thecartridge-carrier when saidfcarrier is in position for receiving acartridge. The cutting part or portion of this blade projects slightlyout from the wall f of the space I, and a groove, g, is formed in therear end of the carrier for said projecting part to occupy during the upand down movements of the carrier.

With the blade K the end of the cartridge will be split open perfectlyand the powder exposed. No waste ends of cartridges will be in the wayto clog the action of the lire-arm, very little if any chance for powderto escape being allowed. i

A magazine tire-arm with my improvements will shoot common cartridges,and as its arrangement is very simple great convenience in mana-gementis secured.`

I do not claim the magazine; neither do I claim a sliding carrier; nordo I claim the combination of both; but

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

The arrangement of a blade or cutter, K, in the rear part of the breechof the lire-arm, for use in combination with a bored slidingcartridge-carrier and cartridge-magazine, the whole constructed,arranged, and operating in the manner specified.

The above specification of my improvement in lire-arms signed by me this10th day vof March, 1858.

CALVIN COX:

Witnesses Jos. SUMNEY, G. YOEKE AT LEE.

